Laura Simpson, owner and president of Dugas Pest Control in Baton Rouge, La., received the NPMA Women of Excellence Award in 2014. PHOTO: PMP STAFF

When asked whether she has seen many changes in the professional pest management industry for women over her 39-year career, Dugas Pest Control President Laura Simpson responds with an enthusiastic yes. Here are more of her thoughts on the subject:

Laura Simpson

More opportunities: “Women have been accepted at every level of our industry. I feel like it is more the choice of women to embrace our industry than them having been banned in past. For so many years, it was only women in the family of the owner that worked in the company. Now, with so many large regional and national companies as part of the scene, there are so many more opportunities for women.”

A growing segment: “I believe the role of women will continue to grow in our industry in the future. As we continue to gain traction with improving the public perception of pest management, we will continue to attract better and better people — including women — to our industry. I believe the perception of our industry is what kept women out in the past, and as that changes we will see greater percentages of women coming into pest management.”

Professionalism continues: “I am just so proud to have been a part of this industry during such a time of growth in technology and professionalism. I can’t say enough about PPMA and NPMA, for the way the bar has been raised to keep professionalism at the forefront of everything we do. The challenge remains to help this filter down to the companies that are not involved, to engage the younger generation and continue to be the best we can be.”